*when you click on "upcoming meetups", "past meetups" or "our calendar" (on the left of this screen) do make sure to scroll down to the bottom of this page if you are not logged into a meetup.com account.*

Looking for a constructive way to help the environment?

We’re a group of people from all over the Lower Mainland who get together to help Metro Vancouver Parks, municipalities, BC Parks, charities, non-profit organizations, Societies, stewardship groups and watershed groups tackle environmental issues that need co-operation and teamwork to get done. We also volunteer at farms to promote local sustainable agriculture. Gloves and tools will be supplied as well as refreshments! All ages are welcome and no experience is necessary. If you care about the environment and local food security this is the group for you! The Lower Mainland Green Team is a program of Green Teams of Canada

Our mission

To organize and run hands-on activities educating volunteers about local parks and ecosystems, local food production and environmental conservation

Activities include...

Removing invasive plants that are outcompeting and overtaking our native plants and trees

Planting native plants and trees

Picking up garbage

Preparing and harvesting veggie beds

Auditing streets to make them more walkable and easier to cycle

Please donate to the Lower Mainland Green Team

If you love the work we do and want to support us through a donation please click HERE. The money goes to organizing and running LMGT activities, volunteer management, native plants and trees, snacks, tools and communication materials

Funders

Without financial support the Lower Mainland Green Team would not be able to make a positive impact on the environment. Thank you to our funders!!

Learn about all the amazing work being done by different groups and organizations in the lower mainland to take care of the environment and increase local food available

Explore places in the Lower Mainlandyou may have never been to before

Gain volunteer hours (a letter to confirm your hours will be emailed to you as requested)

Get exercise

Have fun!

Green Teams of Canada

The Lower Mainland Green Team (LMGT) inspired the creation of the national charity Green Teams of Canada. This Fall 2014, we launched the Greater Victoria Green Team. We also plan to focus on building our youth and at-risk youth programming

AWARDS WON

2014 YWCA Environmental Sustainability Award

2013 National Hometown Heroes award from Earth Day Canada. To see the award click --> HERE to learn more about the award click --> HERE

2013 Frank Sanford Award for Community Service from the Vancouver Natural History Society. To see the award click --> HERE. To learn more about this award please click--> HERE

2012 - Jane Goodall Institute has given the LMGT a certificate of recognition. To check it please click -->HERE

Well wishes to the Lower Mainland Green Team

David Suzukisent the LMGT a letter. He says "Volunteers are the heart and soul of Canada, deeply rooted in community and concerned and active on issues that matter." He also wrote "Thank you for all you do".

We received a postcard fromFarley Mowat , a Canadian conservationist and author (he wrote Never Cry Wolf). His message: "Good luck to the Lower Mainland Green Team".

Lyda had had enough of hearing about the state of the environment going downhill and feeling powerless. So, she combined her passion for the environment and her organizational skills to get people outside into nature making a tangible positive impact on the environment. It's been over 4 years and the volunteers inspire her to keep going. As David Suzuki wrote in his letter to the LMGT, "volunteers are the heart and soul of Canada" ! The Lower Mainland Green Team was founded on Feb 7th 2011 and because of it's effectiveness making a positive impact on the environment, other green teams will be formed in the future under the new charity Green Teams of Canada! To get a good idea of our background read page two of this newsletter. For a short write-up and before/after photos for every single event please click on pages(if you're not logged into your meetup account, make sure to scroll down a ways to get to all the pages). See pictures from each of our events please click on photos

Who we work with to run our volunteer work parties

We believe much more can get done working together. We work with 44 others:

There are many generous businesses who have helped build the Lower Mainland Green Team. They contribute refreshments and products to volunteers to reward their hard work taking care of the environment! To learn more about them click HERE

Photos/Video

We may take photos and/or videos at the events. These may be posted here on meetup and/or other sites like youtube. The photos may also be used for communication materials. If you prefer to not be on camera make this clear to whoever is pointing a camera your way and/or duck out! Also please note, photos may be taken of you with products businesses have donated to LMGT volunteers and posted on their facebook pages.

Liability (please read before attending any of our events!)

The organizer and each and every one of its hosts and volunteer participants are in no way responsible and liable for your personal safety and health state, or the safety of your children before, during and at anytime after each event. By RSVPing "Yes", for Lower Mainland Green Team events, you acknowledge that you fully understand the nature of the activities, are aware of risks, and are sufficiently fit and capable of performing the activities, assuming all risks associated with those activities. All attendees hereby release and shall forever hold harmless the Lower Mainland Green Team organizer, all Lower Mainland Green Team hosts and other volunteers attendees and unconditionally waive any liabilities resulting from attending and/or participating in any Lower Mainland Green Team events. By attending our events you are taking personal responsibility for yourself and any minors in your care. Anyone under 12 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

RSVP'ing and not showing up

There are two rules:

1.Because equipment, tools and refreshments are brought to each event based on the number of people coming, if you have RSVP'd 3 times that you are going to 3 events and without notice have not shown up, you will be removed from the Lower Mainland Green Team. To "un-rsvp" go to where you had originally clicked on "join us" on the event page and click on "change RSVP". Please do this by the day before the event.

2. If you sign up for an event with a restricted number of participants, the spaces become filled and there is a waiting list and you do not show up (and have no good reason) you will be removed. You must UN-RSVP at least 2 days before an event (to give other members a chance to take your vacated spot and participate)

Other volunteer opportunities

We hope that you will consider volunteering more regularly with the groups hosting our events once you've checked out what they do.

Please check out the following page for more environmental volunteer opportunities --> HERE